Reviews tagging 'Classism'

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

468 reviews

zoeelora's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

itszack's review against another edition

challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, War, and Classism

leiftheuncanny's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

When I first heard of this book, I was hesitant. I had grown tired of stories that turned terrible villains into poor wretched victims, asking the audience to believe they hadn't had a choice, that trauma and circumstances had forced them to become the vile person they were in the original story. 
So it took me a few years to warm up to the idea. I must apologize for not trusting Collins to know what she was doing when she gave us Snow's backstory. 
This novel is a fascinating study of privilege, trauma, propaganda, and core beliefs. Snow is not without his troubles, despite growing up in the capital and coming from a rich family, his circumstances are dire and he is always one bad day away from complete ruin. The face he presents to the people around him is always carefully curated, and he has developed an ease with lies and manipulation that have kept him and his family afloat. It's clear there are seeds of goodness in him, and a desire for happiness, comfort, friends, etc. However, enough lying to others and it becomes far too easy to lie to oneself, to make up stories and rationalizations that are easier to live with than the truth. And watching his descent, tracking his decisions, his justifications, and his motivations, as he becomes closer and closer to the man we see in the original trilogy, is fascinating, terrifying and tragic. 
I could talk forever about Coriolanus and his merits and flaws, the moments he could've tried another way, the pieces of beauty he cut out of himself to be the person he thought he needed to be. I wish he could've lived another life, but the tragedy of prequels is knowing how the story ends.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, War, and Classism

Moderate: Drug use, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Body horror, Panic attacks/disorders, and Cannibalism

corik's review against another edition

dark reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

This book tries to be deep sometimes discussing human psychology but that is quickly overshadowed by the self-serving, arrogant, and bigoted main character who only uses those discussions to further solidify his own worldview rather than growing and evolving to be better.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Child death, Gun violence, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, and Classism

hlittlew's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Child death

Minor: Child abuse and Classism

lotte_on's review against another edition

adventurous dark inspiring reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This was perfect. Perfect in every way. The foreshadowing, the writing, the character development, the scenery, the pace, everything. I don’t think I haver ever read something quite as captivating and amazing as this book, I truly want to write a 10 page essay about this. No further comments. This is my favourite book of all time. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death, Cannibalism, Gaslighting, and Classism

_ren's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism

Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, and Medical trauma

Minor: Confinement, Torture, and Vomit

knowledgeddilemma's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Definitely a fantastic edition to the Hunger Games world building. This is basically a villain origin story for President Snow. I think Susan Collins does a very good job at portraying how people are a product of their environment whilst simultaneously reminding the reader that every person has a story and that is what makes a society. Having the books coming from Snows perspective is also a fantastic choice.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Death, Violence, Murder, War, and Classism

Moderate: Animal death and Cannibalism

lakea's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Genocide, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, War, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, and Deportation

Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use

iridaceae's review against another edition

dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Dr. Gaul’s voice echoed in his ears. “That’s mankind in its natural state. That’s humanity undressed.” And here was naked humanity again, and here again he was a part of it. Punching, kicking, his teeth bared in the darkness.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder

Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Genocide, Toxic relationship, Police brutality, Death of parent, and Classism